HUGE news!
After ten years of conducting wildlife surveys using remote cameras, Conservation Northwest has captured photographs of six wolf pups residing in the North Cascades. In response to consistent wolf sighting reports in recent years, we coordinated with agency biologists and local volunteers to place four remote cameras in the North Cascades. Yesterday, they hit the jackpot.
Wow.
No, really, WOW.
Wolves were hunted and harrassed out of Washington by the '30s and only recently have lone wolves been photographed or heard in the wildest parts of the state, namely the Columbia Highlands and North Cascades. The photos of pups playing on the scent lure left by our volunteers this week are like a bolt of lightening here in the office! We released this to the press today, and I wanted you, our beloved blog readers, to get a first glimpse! Here is a flipbook of sorts of the little guys! Here is what the volunteers heard when they went into the North Cascades on the hunt for wolf evidence.
Even better than photos--well, ok, even more scientific than photos--are the DNA results from two adult wolves that the state collared last Friday in the Methow Valley: pure wolf! This means these are not hybrid wolves that were released by an irresponsible owner once the dogs became too large or too hard for them to handle. These are the real deal, and they most likely migrated here from Canada.
It's amazing news, and we couldn't have done it without our members and volunteers. A huge howling thanks to you all!
We are helping Washington prepare for the return of wolves as part of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-assembled group of citizen stakeholders. We will work collaboratively with landowners, local communities, scientists, and conservationists to create a state conservation and management plan for wolves that benefits all.
Our wildlife monitoring program
The press release
